On 6 May 2021, voters in the West Midlands will have their say on who represents them at local council level; who will be the new Police and Crime Commissioner and who will be the next Mayor of the West Midlands.
In our series of election specials, we hear from the candidates who want your votes.
Election of the Mayor of the West Midlands
Here are the candidates standing to be elected as the next Mayor of the West Midlands in the election of Thursday 6th May 2021.
(L-R, clockwise and candidates listed in alphabetical order)
Click on each of the candidates to learn more about their priorities for the West Midlands region
Liam Byrne MP (Labour Party)
Cllr Steve Caudwell (Green Party)
Pete Durnell (Reform UK)
Andy Street (Conservatives)
Jenny Wilkinson (Liberal Democrats)
Further Information on the Role of the Mayor
The role of Mayor of the West Midlands was first created in 2017 and here are a few of the roles and responsibilities of the role.
The Mayor is Chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) with the role having significant powers and influence over some of the biggest issues affecting people’s lives in the West Midlands. The Mayor represents around 2.8 million people across seven local council areas – the WMCA’s constituent members – Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton.
Another key role of the Mayor is to serve as an advocate and global ambassador for the West Midlands region, helping to build trade links and attract inward investment.
The Mayor’s current remit includes:
Economic growth; Transport; Housing; Skills and jobs